I like Markdown.
I like owning my content.
I like React.
I like the combination of Markdown and React, aka MDX.
I like my content in a format that does not need "migrating".
I like committing to the master branch and watching Vercel do its back flips to bring my text to life.
I dislike going to a computer and modifying my blog post in the form of code just to fix a typo.
I dislike writing drafts of "brilliant" ideas on my phone only to never publish it.
I dislike having to pay for an external server with a db for basic text.
I get my ideas at random places and random times, and I want to get them up and published right away.
Say hello to TinaCMS.
Tina
Tina can do a LOT of things, but I'll focus on the things that matter.
Tina at it's core, is a git-based headless CMS which also happens to be OSS.
Essentially,
- Regardless of me using Tina or not, my posts stay exactly where they are - in my website repo.
- Every time I hit save (through Tina cloud), it quietly makes a commit straight to my master - making Vercel deploy it within seconds.
- Editor is shipped along with the website - but only accessible to me through /tina route. This website's "backend" lives as a route on the "frontend".
- Version control is baked in, because it's git.
- I can access this on my PHONE!
I love Markdown based blog for all the right reasons - simplicity, format-longevity, content ownership (no vendor lock in, monthly fee etc), and with MDX having access to React component even.
Also the build is static, content loads super fast.
But the friction is a lot to handle. Tina is the perfect piece to solve this pizzle.
Also, the set up process with NextJS is very easy - see https://tina.io/docs/frameworks/next/app-router
Also comes with a very nice media manager!
Let me know if this works out for you.
You should expect a LOT more posts (short and long) coming from me in the near future :D
As always, this website's code is open sourced under MIT at https://github.com/kashyap07/kashyapsuhas.com
Enjoy!